Just That and Nothing More
by Ikaya
Summary: Sakura and Syaoran are both afraid to love after being betrayed by their past companions. They meet each other and become best of friends, but what will they do when their relationship is threatened? Will they be able to teach each other love, loyalty, an


Just That and Nothing More  
  
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by Ikaya  
  
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DISCLAIMER: CCS does not belong to me.. blah blah, the usual.  
  
Well, what to say. This isn't my first fic, I started having inspiration problems with lots going on, but this is my fresh new start :D I'm also going to continue my old fic, listed under nia-chann, titled "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" ^^ Please read and review!  
  
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Chapter One - Have I Seen You Somewhere?  
  
Sakura gave a genuine smile as she seated a woman and her two children at one of the window tables. The cute little girl with hazel eyes giggled and grinned happily at the waitress as she helped the child into her seat. Laying down a menu on the table, the auburn-haired girl told the woman to take her time ordering and then turned to head back to the kitchen. Looking at the polished, clean tiles as she walked, she turned and glanced back.  
  
When Sakura was out of view, her emerald eyes filled with sadness. The family was obviously needy in money, and better clothes, the children dressed in worn cloth pants and thin cotton shirts. The mother of the girls was dressed in what looked like hastily sewn carpet, the material thick and rough. Heaving a soft sigh, she grabbed the pad of paper and slowly returned to the table, grabbing crayons and paper along the way.  
  
"Are you ready to order ma'am?" Sakura asked gently, taking a pen out. She pushed the crayons and paper towards the little children, and turned back to the woman.  
  
"Yes, could we please have two small cheeseburgers and a medium orange juice?" The woman looked up, the purple-tinted bags under her eyes clearly sagging. She looked like she hadn't slept for days, and her voice was raspy, probably from a cold from staying out so long.  
  
"Is that all?" Sakura looked puzzled, there were three of them, and she had only ordered two burgers and a drink.  
  
"Yes, that's all, thank you." She smiled warmly. The little girl was tugging on the woman's sleeve. "Momma, tell her no pickles! They're yucky.." she made a face and looked at the sandwich of a neighboring person. "Ewww.."  
  
The mother quickly shushed up the girl, "We can't bother the lady with little things okay Suki? That's not nice.." The girl looked downtrodden and sat down, staring at the ceiling.  
  
The order was ready quickly, and Sakura watched the family as they finished eating, and hesitantly brought the check over. The woman immediately fished out her purse, the leather worn from many years of age, and flipped it open. There were several ones, and a couple coins, but aside from that, the wallet was empty. The woman began to tremble, "I-I-I am so sorry m-miss, I don't have t-the money f-for this f-f-food.." she trailed off, not wanting to know Sakura's reaction.  
  
- - -   
  
Syaoran got up from the table and threw his trash out.   
  
'Back to another day of boring contracts and deals. I think I'll go tell Hiiragizawa to split the pile and bring it home with me..' he thought, almost out the door. He noticed a peculiar group of people by the window, a mother couldn't pay for her lunch, and a waitress.  
  
"No, really, it's alright miss, on the house, for you and your children." The girl smiled, her emerald eyes sparkling.  
  
The woman stammered in reply, "No, really, I can't just leave without p-paying, I-I.."  
  
Syaoran took out his wallet. 'I'll always be able to afford my meals, and buy comfortable clothing. I'll always have a roof over my head, and people to serve me..' he thought to himself, and approached the table. Sliding one of his credit cards onto the table, he signed the receipt as quickly as he could.   
  
"Here, lady." he said bluntly, before heading outside.  
  
'What in the world possessed you to do that? Stupid Syaoran.' he thought to himself as he unlocked the door of his Lexus. Starting the engine, he backed out of the parking lot and sped onto the street, his mind still on what he had just done.  
  
Sakura watched the strange man as he left. "I go charge this.." she picked up the credit card, and returned several minutes later with a large bag, with fresh baked cookies and a stack of burgers in it. "Here, take it." she pressed the load into the woman's hands and gave the little girls sodas and an ice cream cones.  
  
"Take care of yourself.." she said, and gave the stranger a quick hug. The lady returned it, and then took her girls by the hands, leading them out, she watched them go down the street, until they turned a corner and she couldn't see them anymore.   
  
Sakura gave a sigh, 'Wow.. that guy was really nice.. I haven't seen anyone do that ever..' she thought, and headed toward the kitchen again, where Tomoyo was sitting at the counter, waiting on people.  
  
"Rika just arrived, she's in the back changing into her uniform, I'll be out as soon as I get this last order." Tomoyo called to Sakura.  
  
"..That man.. he seems so familiar.." Sakura whispered, "No. Don't think about him, Sakura, don't you DARE."  
  
"Sakura-chan? Are you ok?" Tomoyo looked at her best friend with concerned eyes.  
  
"Yes, sorry Tomoyo-chan I was just thinking about.. I- nothing. I'll wait for you otuside ok?"  
  
"Sure." Tomoyo smiled and brought her last order to the customer.  
  
The girl headed towards her Acura, pulling her auburn hair into a ponytail. A few loose stands came down and framed her face, and her emerald eyes were glittering happily. Her friend followed her shortly.  
  
"Hey, Sakura, you wanna come over today? Eriol's at work still, he says he's gonna be a little late or something.." her eyes softened, and she sighed as she thought about her beloved. 'I seriously need to find her someone.. she's so lonely.. a girl like her doesnt deserve to be lonely..' Tomoyo smiled slyly to herself. 'Perhaps Eriol's work partner.. he's easy going.. No.. he'll remind Sakura of.. that bastard.'  
  
"Aii.. gomen Tomoyo, not today, some guy paid for a poor woman's lunch today, and left his credit card, I hafta drop it off first, then I'll come over. That ok?"  
  
"Hai, see you later then!" Tomoyo smiled as Sakura stopped in front of Tomoyo's mansion. Sakura watched as Tomoyo unlocked the gates to her house, and waved. She waved back, and set off down the street.  
  
'She's so nice, and even though she can afford everything without a job, she still applied with me..' Sakura brightened up at the memory and fingered the credit card in her pocket. Taking it out, she looked at the address, 23 Westwood Avenue.  
  
"If I remember correctly.. those are apartment complex's belonging to the Li Clan.." Sakura pondered the thought as she neared the street, and was about to turn when she suddenly saw a gate. She abruptly slammed down the brake and gasped. 'Of course there'd be security, what'd you except idiot?' Sakura thought frustratedly as she pressed the button for the intercom, a voice blared out, crisp and strict.  
  
"This is Westwood Complex, how may I help you?" The person asked sharply.   
  
"I need to see the resident of room number 23, please." Sakura replied quickly, wanting to get this over with.  
  
"You do not know the person's name?" Sakura could feel the woman getting suspicious.  
  
'Think, Sakura, THINK.' she urged herself. "Um.. I'm coming to return a lost item."  
  
"Very well then, please park in slot thirteen, number 23 is in the third building, seventh floor, second hallway on the right, ninth door on your left at the end." The woman spoke with such precision she could've been mistaken for a robot.  
  
Sakura sweatdropped, quickly copying down all the information she had just received. "Err.. thanks." The gates opened slowly, and Sakura cruised in, looking for slot thirteen. It wasn't hard to find, as each parking space was labeled with a plaque plunged into the ground. Parking carefully, Sakura got out of her car and walked towards building three, the one directly in front of her.   
  
As she entered, everyone stared at her. Looking puzzled Sakura looked at her own clothing and started fidgeting. Clad in a pair of jeans and a green t-shirt, she stood out easily from all the carefully dressed men and women in business suits and skirts. Quickly walking away, she pressed for the elevator, which opened immediately.  
  
"Now was it the second floor, ninth hallway on the right, or was it the left? Seventh room on the right? No, wait it was the ninth floor, seventh hallway on the.." Sakura was racking her brain for thoughts as she tried to remember the floor, hallway, and room. "Hoee... I'll be here forever." So she had no chocie but to check all the possibilities..  
  
- - -  
  
Meanwhile..  
  
Syaoran sighed as he opened the door to the huge office, he and Eriol, his partner shared. "More work, more contracts, more papers, more deals.." he groaned as he heaved a huge stack of papers onto his desk. "Eriol, you're gonna take half of the and bring it home to seal and sign, then tomorrow we'll switch." he started. When he got no reply, Syaoran glanced at Eriol's desk, where the azure-eyes, blue-haired boy was on his desk.  
  
..sleeping.  
  
Breathing in once, Syaoran counted to ten and ran a hand through his messy chocolate-colored hair. "HIIRAGIZAWA!!" He yelled.   
  
Eriol immediately shot up from his desk, eyes bloodshot. "YES, SIR?!" he looked around, and paled when he saw Syaoran, bright red, standing next to a pile of forgotten deals and contracts. "Let me REPEAT, myself, lazy partner of mine, you're taking HALF, and I'm taking HALF, and we switch the next day."  
  
Eriol nodded dumbly, and laid his head back on the desk. He gave a great yawn and looked at the clock, and his eyes got even wider. "Oh dear. I was supposed to meet my Tomoyo an hour ago." Face, paper-white, he got up and grabbed his jacket. Moving towards the stack of papers, he was about to pick them up when Syaoran growled.  
  
"Fine, fine. You're off the hook for today." He grumbled as Eriol smirked. "Ja." he said, Eriol pushed the door open, leaving Syaoran alone in the office.  
  
"Might as well bring these home then." He said reluctantly, stuffing the papers into a folder in his bag. Heading out the door and down the stairs, Syaoran unlocked his Lexus again and threw his bag carelessly into the passenger seat. Starting the engine, her drove down the road for about ten minutes until the familair gate of Westwood came into view. Making the sharp left, he pressed the button for the intercom.  
  
"This is Westwood Complex, how may I help you?" the mechanical voice sounded.  
  
"The usual Kui-san." he replied coldly.  
  
"Oh it's you, Syaoran-kun! And for the thousandth time you can call me Umi!" The metallic-ness in the woman's voice evaporated suddenly, and she became like an everyday bimbo off the streets.  
  
"I'd rather not Kui-san. And it's Li, please. I'd prefer to keep our relationship professional." he scowled.  
  
The gates still did not open.  
  
"I'll open the gates if you go on a da-"  
  
Syaoran, pissed off by now, slammed a hand onto the wheel, and the horn sounded loudly. "Let's not forget that I am the relative owner of this complex, and can fire you in an instant."  
  
"Really, now, you wouldn't do that, honey, would you?" Umi cooed pathetically.  
  
"How bout we try and see?" Syaoran hissed.  
  
The gates opened immediately and he snarled, and sped into the lot, skidding to a halt in his parking spot. Stepping out of his car, he walked towads building three, and opened the glass doors. Suddenly, a mob of young, flirtatious business women came over and started calling.  
  
"Hey, Syaoran.." One girl flipped her hair and winked at him.  
  
Cringing with a disgusted look on his face, he plowed through the women and prodded the up button for the elevator quickly. After several seconds, it opened and he squeezed in, closing the door before anyoen else had time to get in. Hitting the button for the seventh floor, he waited..  
  
- - -  
  
Sakura sighed. 'It would be easier to jsut ask..but I can't even remember the room number anymore..' she thought exasperatedly, wishing she hadn't left the slip of paper in her car. She was currently on the seventh floor, and had to try both the ninth hallway on the right and the second door on the left, and the second hallway on the right and the ninth door on the left. Trudging to the ninth hallway, she walked down and looked at the plaque on the second door.   
  
"Agh.. 14!" She groaned and headed back out. All that was left was the second hallway on the right, and the ninth door on the left. Dragging herself down the second hallway, she began to run towards the end, when the ninth door on the right was. She cheered as the golden plaque on the door read "23".   
  
"YES! FINALLY!" She yelled, then silenced herself quickly as she heard the elevator bell ring. Someone was coming, and not wanting to be seen, Sakura knocked crisply on the door.  
  
"Hello? Anyone home?" Sakura knocked harder, not wanting to be seen by the stranger who had just come. She heard footsteps behind her and knocked again.  
  
"Uh.. can I help you?" A voice sounded out from behind her.  
  
Sakura spun around and hit something, about to lose her balance, she grabbed the person she had run into. Syaoran reacted instantly, and an arm circled her waist to keep her upright, she looked up, right into a pair of intense amber eyes. Blushing furiously, she realized how hard she was grabbing onto him and let go.  
  
'Cute..' Syaoran smirked to himself.  
  
"I-I u-um.. I'm v-very sorry about t-that.." Sakura stuttered and she looked down.  
  
"It's alright," Syaoran slid the key into the lock and pushed the door open. "Come in." he gave her a small smile and Sakura stepped in and gasped. Westwood Complex was not the ordinary complex. The living room was huge by itself, with several leather couches placed in front of a flatscreen tv hung on the wall. Several sound speakers were placed on the glass tables next to small crystal lamps. A huge music player sat in the corner of the room with a cabinet full of glass figurines.  
  
The kitchen, floored with shiny blue tiles was exceptionally clean and had a counter with several bar stools to sit at.  
  
Breathing again, Sakura looked at the man, who was currently lounging on the sofa, a glass of liquid in his hand.  
  
"Please, do take a seat." he guestured towards the chair across from him, and Sakura had no choice but to oblige.  
  
Syaoran poured Sakura a drink. "So, what brings you here, Miss.."  
  
"Kinomoto. You can call me Sakura though. And I don't drink." She said politely but fidgeted slightly, and pushed the glass back towards him.  
  
"It's Pepsi Sakura, relax." 'Oh God she is really pretty.. those eyes..remind me of... her. Ugh, shit.' Syaoran thought unconsciously.  
  
Sakura blushed a brilliant shade of red as she picked up the glass and sipped at it. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out his credit card from earlier that day. "I was the waitress on duty when you paid for that woman's meal, it was very kind of you, here's your card card." She handed it to him and he took it graciously. Their hands made slight contact causing Sakura to jerk back quickly.  
  
"Sorry about that.. I-"  
  
"Sakura, you don't need to apologize, really." Syaoran grinned.  
  
Sakura managed a small smile. "I guess I should be going now.."  
  
'Shoot Syaoran, she's leavng.. she's only been here for a few minutes! Say something, ANYTHING.' his mind screamed at him. 'No. What if she was like.. her. What if she's another one of those lying, cheating, playing girls that doesn't care, and only wants to get laid.' Syaoran shook his head, 'No she doesn't look the type.' 'Well that other.. GIRL didn't seem like it either did she? But she WAS.' Syaoran felt a headache coming on as his mind battled on what to do. 'If you're not going to ask her to stay then why do you keep looking at her? HM? You don't seem too hurt, so flirtatious and easy going.' 'SHUT UP!' 'No, ask, it wouldn't hurt to give her a try..'  
  
"Uhh.. um, would you like to have lunch with me tomorrow? You know, so we could get to know each other a little better, maybe be friends?" he stammered, a little hesitant. She gave him a skeptical look, "Oh come on, it'll be casual." He smiled again.  
  
"Well.. I suppose so.."  
  
"Please? For me?" Syaoran pleaded.  
  
Sakura countered. "I hardly know you.."  
  
"So I want to get to know you." 'You're exactly what I need.' He thought.  
  
"Ok.. then.. what time?" 'I can't believe, so soon, and I only just met him today.. but he looks so nice, and he's so gentle..No! They're all the same, all the same..'  
  
"I'll pick you up at seven."   
  
"How about we meet here?"  
  
"Whatever is convenient for you miss." Syaoran laughed as Sakura got up.  
  
"Seven it is."  
  
Opening the door, Syaoran bowed her out, and then walked alongside her as they reached the elevator. Sakura pressed the button to go down, and the elevator opened, and they both got in. Walking into the front lobby, Sakura felt someone staring at her out of the corner of her eye. It was the receptionist, Umi Kui. As soon as Syaoran turned her way and she stopped and put on a sweet smile, but he turned again, and Umi began glaring. Pushing open the glass doors, Sakura clicked the unlock button on her keys.   
  
Walking forward, Syaoran opened the door.  
  
"Thank you Mr... I never caught your name.."  
  
"Li Syaoran. But just Syaoran is fine." he flashed her another warm smile as she backed out and drove away.  
  
- - -  
  
'What have I gotten myself into..' Sakura and Syaoran both thought at the same time, and he walked back into the building as she drove off down the street.  
  
Tell me if it's going too quickly! Read and review Please! ;D .:ikaya 


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